Cozad, Nebraska based high school is one of 27 schools in the country recognized for efforts to help high school students apply to college
COZAD, NEBRASKA— ACT’s American College Application Campaign (ACAC) named Cozad High School as a 2023 School of Excellence as part of the Apply2College effort to increase the number of first-generation college students and students from low-income families pursuing a college degree or other higher education credential. Cozad High School is one of the 27 exemplary schools being recognized nationwide.
“We would like to thank and congratulate everyone involved in the American College Application Campaign and who played a vital role in hosting college application events," said Jordan Haarberg the high school counselor at Cozad High School. "Congratulations to the teachers, supporting staff, volunteers, and students at Cozad High School for this outstanding accomplishment, and for empowering students from all backgrounds to apply to college."
This year’s winning schools, including Cozad High School, were key contributors to the national campaign’s success, as reported by the participating state campaigns:
• Cozad High School is among the 9,253 participating schools that hosted a college application event last fall – a record number of high schools that participated in this nationwide initiative to date.
• More than 467,000 seniors submitted at least one college application during events. • Students submitted a total of 1,398,024 applications.
The college application process can be confusing and daunting. Winning schools help students understand the steps of the application process and host events that empower students to complete an application.
Each year, ACAC works with designated coordinators in nearly every state and the District of Columbia to host college application events and reach students in their schools and communities, encouraging them to apply to college. Activities in 2023 included college application drives, financial aid workshops, and one-on-one mentoring for academic and career planning support.
“We have seen firsthand how communities can transform the lives of students and their entire trajectories as they navigate life after high school and into college,” ACAC Director Lisa King said. “I’m so proud for ACAC to recognize more School of Excellence winners this year than ever before. It’s a thrill to celebrate the exceptional work of these educators and communities who are supporting students to take the first steps beyond high school.”
Nationally, the campaign has served nearly 4.7 million students who have submitted nearly 8.7 million applications since 2005. This is the fifth year that ACAC has recognized outstanding schools.
For more information, visit https://equityinlearning.act.org/acac.
To learn more about Apply2College, visit
https://educationquest.org/professionals/apply2college/
About the American College Application Campaign
The American College Application Campaign (ACAC), a national initiative of ACT’s Center for Equity in Learning, is designed to increase the number of first-generation college students and students from low-income families who pursue a postsecondary degree. The purpose is to assist high school seniors as they navigate the college application and admissions process and ensure each participating student submits at least one admissions application. https://equityinlearning.act.org/acac/
About ACT
ACT is a mission-driven, nonprofit organization dedicated to helping people achieve education and workplace success. Grounded in more than 60 years of research, ACT is a trusted leader in college and career readiness solutions. Each year, ACT serves millions of students, job seekers, schools, government agencies and employers in the U.S. and around the world with learning resources, assessments, research and credentials designed to help them succeed from elementary school through career. Visit us at www.act.org.
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Photo: (Amanda Rossell CHS Teacher, Liz Koop EducationQuest President/CEO, Jordan Haarberg CHS Counselor; photo taken by Jason Combs - EducationQuest)